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Are you lonesome tonight?

Last night
I decided I would forgo the grilled carrot on a bun, hummus and
babagamouche(sp)and not cook for
myself. I went to Bella Jack’s a favourite Mexican restaurant in St. Thomas.
St. Thomas is famous for the place where Jumbo the Elephant the star of P. T.
Barnum’s Greatest Show on Earth was killed by a train.

I ordered a
Dead Elephant pint by Railway City Brewery and my regular San Antonio chili.
While I sat there I looked over at three separate tables of three separate
couples. They were all dressed up looking really great for a really special
meal out. All three of the ladies were busy with their cell phones as if their
partners did not exist. What a great night out together!

Maybe the
guys are boring. Who knows! I could have invited the women over to my table
where I could talk to them of things I am sure would interest them. I have a
long list of topics women like to have me go on about. There is zirconium
encapsulated cadmium, bi-refringement, clay/glaze interface, coefficient of
expansion and of course stoking rhythms.

Who is more
lonely those guys or me? People see you enjoying a meal by yourself and think
of Elvis Presley’s Are You Lonesome Tonight. I think of Emerson, Lake and
Palmers “Oh lucky man.”

Fact is
folks that statistically there are now more people in single relationships than
in partnerships. As Dr. David Foote said in in his book on Economic
Demography“ Boom ,Bust and Echo” two
thirds of everything can be explained by demographics. Young people are
marrying later, if they marry at all. It takes 3 children to add to the
population. 2 kids and you replace yourselves and 1 kid equals minus population
growth. How many young couples do you know with more than 3 kids? Spouses are dying off as part of the baby
boomers and their partners usually women aren’t taking on another partner. Kids
are living at home longer because they can’t afford the incredible real estate
values. Non union and non tenure jobs are the norm.

I think I’ll
text myself and invite myself out for a nice Boulevard, a sirloin tip from
Uncle Donny and Aunt Nancy and a salad
from Grannie the Amish ladies garden. Jack the Bear will be my date tonight. He doesn’t text and he seems
interested in coefficient of expansion.

About Me

Tony Clennell, MFA, RCA, is a second generation potter that has been making pottery for over 35 years. He has taught workshops in Canada, USA, Japan, China, Korea, Wales and Italy. He has a Master of Fine Arts from Utah State University and is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. He is author of “Stuck in the Mud”a book of irreverent tales, BS and nonsense.